


Safe With Me

by oakleyfrick



Category: Dreamwastaken, GeorgeNotFound - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), dreamnotfound - Fandom, mcyt
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Belonging, Daddy Issues, Dark, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Issues, Flirting, Gay, Happy Ending, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Running Away, Teenagers, dreamnotfound, mlm, very angsty lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28790265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oakleyfrick/pseuds/oakleyfrick
Summary: After coming out this his abusive father accidentally, Clay had no choice but to get away as fast as he could. Of course, a late night lonely train ride wasn't ideal, but it was safer than home. In that train ride, Clay had lost all hope, until a brown haired boy captured his gaze. Maybe, not everything was lost.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound/Darryl Noveschosch, Dnf - Relationship, dreamnotfound - Relationship
Comments: 30
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After coming out to his abusive father, Clay has no choice but to escape his toxic household. When all hope is lost, he meets a boy on the train.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - mental abuse, homophobia, homophobic language

The cold rain smacked against Clays body, stinging his skin. He had no clue where his legs were taking him, but that was not his top priority in that moment. His footsteps were loud and heavy against the solid gravel. All the boy could hear was the cracking thunder and his rapid heartbeat in his ears. With each passing step, his legs grew weaker, and were unable to carry his weight any longer. His knees buckled and his palms hit the ground. His lungs hurt as he attempted to gasp for air. His sopping dirty blonde hair was drooping into his teary eyes, as if he couldn't already barely see. The world around him was almost in slow motion, like it wasn't real. Oh, how he wished it wasn't. He lifted his head up with the little amount of energy his poor body had left, and his eyes ached at the bright light of the sign for the train station.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clay was always a quiet person, he wasn't one to rely on others. He was very independent, he always gave himself all the weight of his problems. It wasn't so much that he didn't like it when people worried about him, but there was something about the human race that depressed him. He always believed that at the end of the day, nobody knows any better than anyone else. They're unpredictable creatures, and sometimes you wonder if anyone ever really cares about anything. All of the "I care about you"'s Clay has been told weren't real. Words are just words, they don't have meaning, humans don't have meaning. At the end of the day, Clay just thought they were disappointing. 

The only person Clay ever felt like he could talk to was his younger sister, Guinevere. She was the first person, in fact the only person that Clay ever came out to. Though he never really said much to her about what was going on in his life, as most of the things that were going on, she was involved with. The vivid memories of hiding under Clays bed, holding each other and trying their hardest to block out the screams and shattering of objects from their father were stuck in the siblings minds. Every time their father would have episodes like these, they became more dull, practically numb to the pain and screams.

4 months had passed since Clays mother died, and since then, it was up to him to protect himself and his sister from their father. Every day when he would come home, Clay and Guinevere could only hope that he was in a good mood. It was easy to tell the difference, even by his physical appearance, Clay taught himself the difference quite easily. A simple rule; no alcohol in sight, good day. Beer in hand and shaggy clothes, not a good day. 

Good days weren't exactly good, but they were better than the bad days. The house would finally be silent, no screaming, no breaking, just beautiful silence, and that meant a lot to Clay. Everything was safe in those moments, the only thing to worry about was when his father would next snap, but he at least tried to enjoy the silent moments as much as he could.

Clay made sure that the good days counted. As much as he hated his father for all of the shitty things he's done, he wasn't ready to just completely get rid of his father altogether. It was up for debate whether or not that was a healthy choice, but at that point in time, Clay couldn't give a single shit. If it meant that he could actually have a father, then fuck it.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clay sat in his dark room, the blinds blocking our any light that tried to peak through. His headphones were blasting in his ears, protecting himself from the world around him. As far as he knew, his father wan't home yet, so he gave himself time to enjoy the peace of his music, and a calm house. He appreciated these small moments, he felt so in control of himself, he was the boss and no one could tell him otherwise. His heart could finally feel at ease in these times. He didn't really care how long these moments lasted for, what mattered to him was that he could get any peace and quiet at all.

Clay peaked at his phone to change the song. It landed on "Ocean Eyes", and he flopped his phone back onto his chest and tucked his hands behind his head, staring at the boring ceiling. He wriggled his foot to the beat of the song, and let his eyes slowly close. Everything around him was slow, including himself, like he was under water. Everything was muffled and flowing, it felt right. Clay stayed still and listened to the comforting sounds coming from his headphones for a few minutes longer.

But of course, good moments don't last forever.

The soft music was drowned out by a large bang. Clay flinched and sat up in alert.

"Are you fucking kidding me..." Clay murmured to himself. All he could feel in that moment was frustration and anxiety. His body tensed up and he dug his fingers into his bed sheets. He clenched his jaw and prepared himself for whatever was to come. He wanted to stay in his room in attempt to avoid whatever state his disgusting father was in. His room comforted him, it was one of the few things that made him feel safe. That was until his door burst open.

Clays chest tightened and his green eyes froze. The light from the hallway made out a silhouette of a tall, lanky man. His posture was poor, bent like a candy cane. His ash brown hair was scuffed up, and a half empty beer bottle was hanging from his hands. Clay gulped in disgust at the sight. It was a common sight, but he hated it nevertheless. Clay could barely make out the slurry words coming from his obviously drunk father. The blonde let out a frustrated sigh.

"Don't give me that shit, Clay" The man boomed. Anger filled the room from both Clay and his father. Clay stayed still and silent, hoping that his father would just leave him alone.

"Tell me... Tell me why the fuck there were two boys being all fuckin' giggly 'n shit at the fuckin' gas station. Those goddamn fags think they can do that? In public? Bad enough they're doin' it in the first fuckin' place. Fuck, I shoulda fucked 'em right up then and there" Clays father slurred, barely able to keep his balance. Clay could feel his blood boil. At least now he knew his fathers stance on gay people. Pity.

The intoxicated man fumbled his way over to Clays bed. Clay leaned back and squinted as he felt his fathers hot and uncomfortable breath on his face. His father harshly placed his hand on Clays shoulder, making him flinch.

"Thank god you're not cursed like them. You'd be fuckin' dead." His father growled. A moment of uneasy silence filled the room, the two glaring at each other with angry intentions. The older man let out an evil laugh, waiting for his son to respond in a similar way. Clay was not up for that type of behaviour, and he glared at him, not sure of what to say. After another short moment of loud silence, his fathers expression changed. He could tell from the silence that maybe Clay was more than he thought. Anger built up in his eyes, and Clays heart began to race.

"You wouldn't dare, would you son..." It was barely a question, more of a statement. An "I wouldn't let you do that" kind of statement. Clay held his breath, still unsure of what to say to his father. Another moment of silence.

"Dad, I-" Clay began to speak, but his father wasn't having it. Clay felt his fathers grip on his shoulder tighten, it was painful, but he continued to lock eye contact with the man in front of him. The man he was ashamed to call his father.

"Clay. You better fuckin' tell me... Your ass isn't a fuckin' gayboy" His father boomed. Clays stomach turned, his whole body felt like it was shutting down. He stayed silent, though he wasn't sure that was the best idea. He had no clue of what to do, anything he said or didn't say could fuck everything up in a matter of seconds.

His fathers breathing began to quicken and sound more agitated and forced. This was bad. This was really bad. All Clay wanted right now was his mother. The woman who was always there to protect him from the monster that stood in front of him. But she was gone, it was just Clay and his father in this moment.

The dirty man jerked Clay up, gripping harder onto his son. Clay could feel his fathers flaming eyes pierce his heart.

"You're a fucked up kid, you. Tell me you're lying right fuckin' now" The man howled. Clay felt like he was going to pass out. He couldn't speak or move, he could barely breathe. Every time he attempted to speak, his voice disappeared, which was not in his favour. Every second in that quiet moment, his father grew angrier. He pulled his son closer, gripping his shoulders harder.

"Unless you want to end up a dead man, I'd change if I were you. I'm not having a fuckin' faggot for a son." With every word, Clays fathers voice raised and became more frustrated. He continued to talk, whilst his son stood in front of him, completely stiff.

"I hope you fuckin' die. I wouldn't care. You're fucked, gayboy. I'll fuckin' smack it out of you if I have to" The man slurred loudly. As silly as he sounded, Clay believed him, because he wouldn't really be surprised if he attempted to. Clay pulled himself out of his fathers tight grasp.

"Get the fuck away from me, you're drunk!" Clay yelled, attempting to sound threatening. But in reality, he was scared. He didn't know what was going to happen or how he could possibly get out of this situation. He just wanted to get away.

"Your mother would hate you just as fuckin' much as I do now-" Clay cut his father off, frustrated that he brung his mother into this.

"Don't you fucking dare say that. You hated her. Don't act like she was always on your side, she never was and you know that! She was a better parent than you will ever be, you're sick!" Clay boomed, meaning every single word. Tears formed at his eyes, and his father didn't approve of that. He grabbed Clays wrist and dragged him out of his room to the front door. Clay attempted to escape, but his father was too determined.

"If you're going to act like this, you fuckin' creature, you're not allowed in this house. get out" His father sounded like a demon. Clays heart stopped. In attempt to debate back, the drunk man retaliated.

"Get out! Get the fuck out!" His screams pained Clay, as he was shoved out of the house. The door slammed on the blondes face.

Clay couldn't believe what was happening. He pleaded to himself that this was just a bad dream, that this wasn't real. He forcefully shut his eyes, and opened them again to face such terrible disappointment. He was real, everything that just happened was real. He could hear continuing screams from inside the house.

He could still barely breathe, and he took a few steps backward, keeping his eyes on the door. He snapped back into reality as he felt heavy rain hit the top of his head. His mind couldn't focus, there were too many thoughts rushing through his head at once.

"What just happened?"

"Is this real?"

"How could he do this?"

"Can I please go back inside?"

"I don't want to be alone"

"Please"

"This isn't real"

"This isn't fair"

"What do I do?"

In a moment of worry, Clay faced the street and ran. He ran like he was running for his life. He didn't know where, all he knew was that he had to run. In a moment of panic, he thought about his sister.

"What was going on at home? Was she safe? I have to get her. What if he's hurting her?" The same thoughts rushed around Clays worried and tired mind. He slowed his steps, unsure of what to do. It was dark and cold, he could barely see where he was or what was in front of him. "What was happening to Guinevere? Fuck, what do I do?" His mind was practically a clusterfuck of terrible thoughts and possible scenarios of what could be going on between his father and his sister. His little sister, his only friend, was alone and scared, without her brother. Clay was debating on the thought.

If he went back, he could risk himself and his sister being hurt, because he knew his father would have no problem with that. But if he kept running, Guinevere would be alone and defenceless for the first time ever when facing their father. Clay was not in the right headspace to make a decision, but he knew he had to make one quickly, and only time could tell if it was the right one or not.

He ran. He ran as fast as his legs could go without stopping. Nowhere was safe, especially not home. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, but he didn't care. Nothing even felt real at this point, but it's not like he wanted this to be real.

His once wavy, puffy hair was now a wet mop on top of his head, his front few strands of hair were drooping into his exhausted eyes. His legs slowed as he glanced at a blurry light in front of him. The rain and his salty tears were blocking most of his vision, his long hair not helping either. His weak knees buckled and he fell to the floor. His lungs were sore and scratchy, and he couldn't catch his breath. He gazed upon the lit up sign in front of him.

"TRAIN STATION" The sign red.

Clay stared at the sign for a short while, his mind broken and tired.

At this point, Clay had no other choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome folks, to my new book ! ive realised my love for writing angst, so this chapter was lowkey insane lmao  
> im going to focus a lot and put a lot of effort into this one, and theres a lot planned for it. chapters will be uploaded every few days so i can give myself more time to perfect the chapters, so stick around :]


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Clay has now is himself, and a terrible train ride. In a moment of loneliness and helplessness, someone gets on the train.

Clay locked his green eyes on the poorly illuminated sign that stood in front of him. He held the little amount of breath he had in his lungs, and took his time to stand up steadily. His legs were weak and shaky, his entire body still in shock. At this point, what else was he to do? He let out an unsteady breath, and his legs slowly lead him inside the station.

Clay paced himself and stood in the middle of the dimly lit and dodgy station. The world around him was muted, practically drained out by his heavy and quick heartbeat. He felt sick to his stomach. All he wanted to do was turn back, go home and forget everything that happened that night. He hated this, so so much. He wasn't really sure why any fibre in him expected any other reaction from his father, but that didn't make the situation ideal. But Clay knew that there was no turning back. Not now.

The flickering light above the blonde boy bothered him, everything around him was bothering him. The entire town was a run down shit hole. Broken buildings, broken hearts. Just a deep, dark, depressing hole. Maybe it as good that Clay was finally getting out.

Clay noticed his dripping wet hair blow in an upcoming breeze. That was when the faint sounds of an incoming train snapped him back into real life. He glanced to his left, a vague light was coming into his vision. A train.

The sound of the old train engine gradually grew louder as it came closer to the station. Clay grew a sense of urgency, like someone was chasing him. He had to get on the train as soon as possible, there was not looking back, this was his final chance. The train began to slow as the front of it passed Clay. The blonde grew dizzy watching the train speed past him. He stood still, his hair blowing in the wind from the train. He felt weak in this moment. Defeated, even. His father won, and Clay was back to square one, alone and afraid. His mind raced as the train slowly but surely stopped in front of him, the broken doors clanking open. After a short pause, his legs gave way and he walked onto the silent train.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Usually, silence was peaceful to Clay, but not this time. He had never felt so alone and vulnerable. The silence was unbearable, heartbreaking. The only noise was Clays uncontrolled breathing. The train was completely empty and still. Clay stood in the middle of the carriage, motionless. A clank from behind him made him flinch. The electric door slammed shut, and a bolt fell and rolled to his feet. He looked down at the bolt, it was rusty and small. It was just another small, insignificant object in the massive world that Clay was cursed to live in. He gulped at the sight, confused as to how it made him feel. The train jerked forward, everything inside it shaking, and slowly started moving. Clay moved with the pull of the train, and made his way to a seat.

He slumped his limp, thin body onto the dirty seat. He could finally relieve his trembling and weak legs, and he leaned back onto the wall of the shaking train. No matter how hard the blonde tried, he still struggled to control his intense breathing and heartbeat. How could he in a moment like this? He hadn't a clue of where he was going, he didn't have a family anymore. That simple thought led Clay to burst into tears once more.

All he wanted in this moment was his mother. No matter how bad everything got, she was always there to protect Clay and his sister from the evil world. But he didn't have her anymore, he didn't have anyone. He barely had himself. His mother always tried her best to make her children happy, she knew they didn't deserve to be around their horrible father. All she wanted to do was take Clay and Guinevere away from their toxic town, away from her husband. But she couldn't. Clay remembers the night that his family spent hours waiting in the hospital, when the big news came.

Clay could barely hear the doctor among the cries of his little sister, but two words stood out to him and repeated in his head for days after. "Lung Cancer". In that moment, Clay felt his heart drop and his mind go blank. After those words, his whole world fell silent. He didn't know what that would mean for his poor mother, all he knew was that it wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. He felt his little sisters body shake between sobs as he held her in his arms in the cold hospital room. He looked over at his father, who sat still and completely emotionless. God knows what that man was thinking in that dreadful moment.

Even in the remaining months that Clay got to spend with his mother after the diagnosis, she continued to be the cheerful person she always was. The constant reassuring hugs his mother gave to him made him feel safe, they gave him hope. "Everything is going to be okay, Clay. I love you so, so much, and I always will, no matter what happens" His mother would say to him. Those words continued to ring in his head ever since she died. Those words no longer made Clay feel comforted, they made him angry. He was frustrated at his mother, as if it were her fault, even though it obviously was not. He was just angry at people breaking promises, time after time. Though, even then, Clay knew she was lying. As much as he wanted to believe her, he was aware of the sad truth, and he was angry about that. Promise after promise, all of them being broken, Clay was left without a mother. He was abandoned in a world full of hate and toxicity. Clay had to learn how to protect himself and his sister from the cruel people in the world, and it wasn't helpful that the person he hated the most was his own fucking father.

Clay still wasn't very hopeful of his situation. At this point, with only a phone in his pocket, he was fully aware that he was doomed from the get-go. He had spent years convincing himself that he could soon be in control of his life and that he would be okay if he just held on a little longer, but in that moment, Clay just felt so hopeless. Everything was piling up in his broken mind, and he came to the conclusion that he was utterly fucked, and he really couldn't hold on much longer. Of course he was glad he was away from his father, but it isn't that easy to just start over as soon as his father left his life. The years of emotional damage from since he was a child wouldn't just go away that easily.

His father would constantly remind him that "you're fucking insane", "you don't matter", "i hate you so fucking much, you're not my son" and "nobody will ever love you". Although Clay seemed to be numbed by it on the outside, every time it was said to him, it pained him so much on the inside. Those hurtful things were so built into his head that be believed every single word.

You don't matter

Everything is a lie

Love is fake, no one had ever loved you, and no one ever will

Nobody wants you in their life

You're the problem, you always are

You're utterly selfish, a waste of time

Clay started trembling at the thoughts again. His throat felt tight, and he continued to hyperventilate, crying to himself on the lonely train ride.

He just wanted this to be over. He wanted all of the pain to go away, he wanted to feel happy, he was so deprived of that feeling.

His lips trembled, and his eyes were watery. Tears dropped from the bottom of his chin, and he barely noticed. He let out a fragile sigh, and shut his eyes.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clay woke up to the clanking of the shitty train. Morning already?

He blinked his emerald green eyes, they were still sore, just like the rest of his exhausted body. He could barely lift his own head up, but he had to get a sense of where he was. His sleep was the farthest thing from peaceful, but it was better than being awake and drowning in his own thoughts. He tilted his head to the left, then the right. He felt like a lost puppy, he had no idea where he was, there were no signs in sight that could have possibly helped him. He felt faint, his skin pale and the bags under his eyes were deep. He was still alone, and it was just as quiet as the night before.

Clay glanced up to look out the window again, and he noticed the train slowing. There were still no visible signs that could help him get an idea of his location, but he didn't care as much as he did the night before. Clays body moved with the train as it eventually slowed and came to a rough stop. He kept his eyes glued to his feet, basking in the silence, not expecting anything else.

Then, something in Clays peripheral vision caught his attention. A figure hopped onto the carriage with ease. Clay snuck a glance at the new person. It was a boy, shorter than Clay, but seemed to be around the same age. He was skinny and pale, which made his chocolate brunette hair shine in contrast. His eyes were dark and mysterious, complimenting his clear skin. He was clearly a local, his stance made Clay believe he was confident in where he was, like he did this every day. His hair was short and slightly puffy, like a bedhead. His eyebrows were thick and dark, but neat. He looked unfocused, like he was daydreaming. He didn't notice Clay right away, which gave the blonde more time to analyse the boy.

There was something about the brunette that made Clay not want to look away. In this moment, he didn't really feel anything, though. There was just something that was interesting about this new boy. Clay admired that he could go into his own world, and he could tell that the boy was similar to him. Perhaps that was what made Clay fascinated by the newcomer. His eyes couldn't look away from the brunette, not matter how much his brain screamed at himself to look away.

The boy turned his gaze from out the window to Clay, only just noticing his presence. He looked shocked for a short moment, the train was empty 99% of the time, so this was a very uncommon situation. He raised his eyebrows, until he noticed Clays poor state, and his chest felt heavy. He because curious and worried. The two boys locked eye contact, and Clays heart started beating faster.

Without a thought, the brunette let go of the unsanitary hand rail and scooted over to Clay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey folks ! another slightly dark chapter, but hey, welcome to the book lol. so far, i think i'm pretty happy at how this book is going, i'd love to continue it, i've got a lot in store. i've worked a lot on the planning for this book, and i'm excited to share it with you guys ! hope you're enjoying it so far <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clay meets a new boy on the train, and they quickly bond.

The new boys footsteps were loud, yet prominent. As his footsteps grew louder, Clays heartbeat quickened with every clank on the loud metal flooring of the train. He wasn't sure whether or not to keep his eyes on the boy, or look away, pretending to be oblivious, in his own world if you will. Clay took turns on looking away and glaring back at the boy very awkwardly, but the uncomfortable moment didn't last for long, and before Clay could process what was happening, the newcomer was standing in front of him very quietly.

The silence was painful, Clay felt. But the new boy seemed calm, collected, interested. This time, Clay couldn't actually hear his throbbing heartbeat in his ears, the boys presence seemed to calm him. Not comfort him so much, but calm him. And he was silently grateful for that, seeing he hadn't felt a single wave of calm in the past 24 hours.

"Hello" The boy spoke peacefully, cracking a small but genuine smile. The brunettes voice shocked Clay, it was smoother than he had expected, and he was certainly not American. British, possibly. Clay slightly widened his eyes at the boy, the two making deep eye contact. The new boys eyes were nice to look at, mysterious, yet welcoming at the same time. There was certainly a story behind them, and Clay was already curious.

Clay tried to spit out a "Hi", but his broken voice just came out as a cracky whisper. Clay was washed over with embarrassment, is this how his first interaction was this kid would be like?

_Ugh ___

To Clays surprise, the new boy seemed understanding, empathetic. Of course, the boy didn't know what had happened to Clay, but he was curious and respectful nonetheless. The boy smiled back at Clays response, communicating that he was not a threat. But Clay already understood that, only by the look of the boy. He wasn't sure if he should trust his gut, but he was, what else was there to lose, right?

____

"Hey, are you alright?" The boy spoke once again. His eyes told Clay that he was worried. The blonde knew he wasn't in the best physical state, let alone emotional state. Though, the question caught Clay off guard, even though he was expecting it. 

____

As soon as the boy walked close to Clay and got a better view of him, he immediately noticed his terrible state. Dried tears stained his unwell face, and his eyes were tired and puffy. His hair had frizzled from the rain the night before, and it was still a bit damp. His black shoes had smudges of mud all over them, as well as the bottom of his pants. Though the boy wasn't one to assume, of course he could guess that it wasn't anything good. Was he in danger, possibly?

____

Clay stuttered a little bit with his words, praying his voice wouldn't fuck him over once more.

____

"Uh, y-yeah, all good" Clay croaked. Deep down, he hated that he thought he had to lie, that single sentence made him cringe to himself. He tried to seem as convincing as possible, but he was no actor.

____

Of course, the boy didn't believe him. He was quite good at reading people, he had learned to read others over the years, to him it was important. The boy continued to stand still in from of Clay, trying his best to not overwhelm the blonde. So far, the air was smooth and the atmosphere was slowly getting comfortable. The boy was careful with what he was going to say, so he gave himself a moment before he spoke again.

____

"So, where are you going? Haven't seen you around here" The newcomer spoke. Clay wasn't sure whether he felt uncomfortable or enjoyed the soft company for the first time in a while. He supposed that it was somewhat enjoyable, however. He didn't want to get into too much detail, for god sake, he had only met this kid, how could he immediately trust him?

____

"Oh, I'm not from anywhere around here, just needed to get away from home for a little bit" He looked back at the brunette and gave him a small fake smile. For some reason, he felt terrible to have to fake a smile. He did it all the time, so why was it so different now? Even more so, he's just a stranger. Maybe.

____

The boy took a short while to response, then just nodded happily. The two boys once again locked eyes. The contrast between the boys eyes were very different. Clays shiny and engaging, the new boys trusting and wise. It was as if the two were both trying to read one another at the same time, like their energy was clashing.

____

The aura around them was soothing, they were acting as if they had already known one another for years, but they were no more than strangers.

____

Clays heartbeat was slow, and he finally felt like he was able to breathe properly. He had longed for that feeling, he was already feeling better compared to all the years he had spent at home trying to fight off his father and defend his little sister. The longed heartbreak was already starting to ease, Clay finally started to feel a little more in control of his life. As long as his father would never find him, maybe things would finally be okay.

____

Suddenly, with Clay barely noticing at first, the boy stepped further towards Clay and sat in the half broken seat beside his new possible friend. The boy wasn't overly sure why he did that, but it was like he felt as if he had to. It felt like it was the correct thing to do, like it was completely okay. And it was, but it was just a little startling for Clay. The blonde wasn't one to be very comfortable with people near him, often flinching at sudden movements, and finding it very hard to trust others. But this time, it was so different, for a reason that Clay couldn't quite pin down. For the first time in years, Clay didn't flinch, he wasn't anxious about the situation, he wasn't threatened. He felt... Safe. Was he supposed to? Was that okay?

____

The two boys were looking down to their hands, placed in their laps. There wasn't much eye contact in that moment, but the silence was no longer uncomfortable. Deep down, both the boys were somewhat shocked that they were so okay with everything going on. They could both sense the calmness in the air, and it was incredibly relaxing.

____

In fact, neither of them have felt this calm in a long time, which seemed very strange. Clay was just happy to be nowhere near his father, and the boy was delighted that he found someone who he didn't immediately hate or not care about. This time it was such a new experience for the brunette. There was actually something behind this boy he had never met before, in a few ways the two were similar. The boy wondered about Clay, who he was, what he's been through, he could tell there was a long and hard story behind those emerald green eyes of his, and he wanted to hear all about it.

____

Clays mind seemed a little worried at this point, but his heart was calm. This was okay for him. There wasn't a need to get away, the new boy was just like him, getting away from family for a bit. The brunette spoke again, hoping not to bother Clay too much, but to at least get some answers out of him.

____

"Where do you normally go when you come here?" The boy asked quietly, not sure if he should make eye contact or not. He had a chance to make a friend here, and there was no way in hell he was going to fuck it up, or he would hate himself for it.

____

Clay paused for a moment before he could answer. He let out a small unhappy chuckle.

____

"I've... Never been here before. Actually, where are we?" Clay asked. The boy was surprised, because the question seemed genuine, like he really needed an answer. Now the brunette had to know more about this kid.

____

The boy turned to Clay with one eyebrow raised as if to ask are you serious?

____

Clay wasn't joking around.

____

"W-we're in St Marks..." The boy slowly responded, trying his best to act like he wasn't confused out of his fucking mind. Well, with no surprise, he was indeed.

____

_Okay, still in Florida. That's okay. Wait, what the fuck is St Marks? IS is still Florida? ___

____

__Without even having to ask the question of what the new boys name was, it was answered after a moment of silence._ _

____

__"Oh, I'm George by the way. I... Really only just moved here, it fucking sucks" George said with meaning behind his words. Clay glanced out the window for a short second, and he could understand why he hated it. It was worse than where his family lived, and he barely knew that was possible. St Marks seemed very small, definitely not very well populated. Clay looked back at George._ _

____

__"I'm Clay" He wasn't sure of what else to say, really. He was Clay, that's for sure. What else?_ _

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_Clay. That's lovely._

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____But George just nodded and calmly responded with a simple "Cool"._ _ _ _

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____Silence again. But that was okay. After a bit, George turned to Clay, the blonde immediately looking back into his new friends deep eyes._ _ _ _

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____"Hey, if you don't know where you are, do you wanna... Do you wanna come with me to the abandoned light house? I usually go there for some time alone, maybe to read, but some company would be pretty nice" He said calmly, ready for any response. He fully understood if Clay wanted to decline, he JUST met him, after all. Without a single threatening thought going through Clays mind, he smiled._ _ _ _

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____"That sounds cool, sure" His voice was light, hopeful in a way._ _ _ _

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____George smiled back at him. The old lighthouse was only a few more stops away, so they had time for a few small conversations here and there. And they did just so._ _ _ _

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____Maybe things weren't going to be so bad after all for the two._ _ _ _

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello !! my god im sO sorry i havent updated in nearly 2 weeks good god,,, just kinda has a very unmotivated and sad period, but im bAck baby !! ill try keep updates more frequent, but school has started back again, so i cant promise too much, but ill try my best ! thanks for understanding, new chapter for both books will be out within the next few days :]  
> and thank you for 100 reads thats pogchamp !


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George and Clay bond more and learn things about each other. George shows Clay a special place.

Clay felt warm inside, it was one of his favourite feelings. Though he didn't experience it very often, he was grateful for the times the feeling came across him. He wasn't sure why this George fellow was so interesting. He was surprised at himself, really. It did give him a little reminder that stuck with him.

_The world is full of disappointing people, so keep the people who make you smile. ___

Maybe this boy, still mostly a stranger, was the one not so disappointing person. George seemed to be a simple man, not overwhelming, but not boring. The perfect mix. It was as if Clay thought he was obliged to impress this boy, but he wasn't sure why.

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Clay no longer cared about where he was, what time it was or what was going on back at home, he wasn't going back, so there wasn't really a point of constantly worrying about his father. What mattered in the moment was it was just him and George. A new friend.

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The two boys continued to have small talk, but it wasn't awkward, if anything it was pleasant and comfortable. A few more moment passed, and George clicked his deep eyes to look outside the window, Clay following his new friends actions mostly out of curiosity. They saw the old lighthouse over a small hill, and the train started to slow, clanking every few seconds and rocking everything inside.

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The wheels on the train screeched, ringing in Clays ears, but George was used to it by now, he barely flinched. They stood up and turned to the door, waiting for it to squeak open. And it did just so, a predictable yet shocking clank came from the doors as they opened. George stood to the side, letting Clay walk out first. Clay saw what the brunette was offering, and slid beside him, cracking a bit of a smile. Though Clay couldn't see, George uncontrollably smiled back at the taller boy, appreciating his movement and curiosity of a new, yet shitty town.

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The train doors banged loudly behind the boys, but Clay didn't flinch as much as when he first heard them, from the hours he had spent on that train, he was getting a bit used to the clanks and other loud noises coming from the pathetic old train. But it did the job, it got them where they needed to go, and that was okay with them.

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Clay kept his gaze on the tall, chipped light house that had been clearly out of work for a long time, most likely forgotten about. To the blonde, the sight seemed a little sad. The lighthouse had helped so many people in the many years it was in work, but one day, people just forgot about it, and now it's left to rot. He wasn't sure why he felt bad, it was just a bunch of bricks and a light that no longer worked. He kept his attention to the pillar-like building.

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George peered over to his friend, and noticed his intrigued expression. It made him smile, how much Clays mood and even appearance had changed from when he first met him on the train ride. His eyes were less puffy and a lot clearer, and every now and then when they were making their way to the light house, he would play with his frizzy hair in attempt to tame it. George kept his eyes on Clay, the blonde unfazed, which made George smile more.

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_Funny character _, George thought to himself.__

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__They walked in silence, not for long though. In the minutes they spent walking up to the light house, Clay would make fun little comments on his surrounds and the town in general. Even if they weren't funny, George giggled anyway, not too sure whether or not he was laughing at what the blonde was saying, or just his comforting and kind company. It didn't matter to him, anyway._ _

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__They reached the door, and Clay noticed it was sealed shut, but he wasn't entirely surprised. He look over to George, biting his lip, unsure of what to do. Georges eyes were relaxed, and he had a smooth smile on his face. He knew what he was doing._ _

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__The brunette dug his hand in his pocket and pulled out a bobby pin. Clay was a little surprised, his hair wasn't really long enough to need bobby pins, but at the same time he was questioning why he thought they were primarily for his hair. George had obviously done this before, he probably spends a lot of money buying packets of bobby pins._ _

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__George held the bobby pin in his hand, observing it for a second or two, Clay staring at it intensely as if it were a rare artefact and not a cheap metal piece of crap from the dollar store. George continued to shove the bobby pin in the lock and proceeded to twist and turn it, until a loud clicking sound came from the lock. It fell to the ground in between Georges and Clays feet. They both looked down at it and watched it lay on the dried, uncoloured grass. They both glanced up at each other and smirked, moving their attention back to the door after silently giggling to each other. Clay had never really done something like this, he wasn't all that rebellious. He just never bothered to do things like that._ _

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__Both the boys held onto the edge of the door and aggressively pulled it open, and it swung open, banging on the wall of the light house. They looked back at each other and Clay smiled brightly, George giving his friend a grin in return._ _

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__“Every time I come back here, there’s a lock on the door, but bobby pins are cheap” George commented, and Clay laughed at the remark. He knew George wasn’t the kind of person to give up on things, he would always find a way. He liked that about his new friend. It was admirable._ _

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__Clay looked into the old building. For a lighthouse, it sure was dark. But he was curious nonetheless. Clay walked in first, slowly moving his eyes to every part of the dark pit. George followed him and waited patiently for Clay to finish exploring the bottom of the lighthouse. He knew when he first discovered this place, he was pretty much the same. He observed Clay with the little bit of light that came through the possibly broken door. The blonde peered up and saw the huge amount of stairs, and let out a quiet exhale. George smirked, not blaming Clay for the reaction he had._ _

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__“Ready?” George asked. He was never usually excited to come to the lighthouse, if anything it was just a little escape place, not much more. But this time he had someone he could show it too. Someone who didn’t seem like a trashy shitstain of a human being, someone who’s interesting and a bit like himself._ _

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__Clay turned around with a puppy dog smile. George took that as a yes._ _

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__Clay wasn’t the most excited about the flight of stairs he had to carry his tired self up, but he had a hunch that it would be worth it, so he didn’t fret. They made their way up the long, creaky stairs, Clay continuously commenting in new things in the lighthouse that had caught his eye._ _

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__After around 2 full minutes of climbing stairs with tired and sore legs, they had made it to the top. There was a small opening that led to a balcony that wrapped around the top of the lighthouse, it gave them a perfect 360° view of the not so perfect town, but it was still quite nice to look at._ _

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__Clay walked over to the railing of the balcony and stuck his head over to look down at the ground below them. He smiled, breathing out loudly. George slowly walked over next to his friend, but Clay was too distracted to notice him._ _

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__George observed the blonde next to him once again. To think that not so long ago, Clay was curled up into himself, still half asleep and his mind completely broken, and now he’s smiling, talking and looking around full of curiosity was quite odd but amazing to George. Clay hadn’t said anything to George about why he ran away, and he respected that. But nobody runs away because they have a nice home life, that’s common sense. He had suspected something bad had happened from the moment le laid eyes on the boy. But he was curious to know. George but his lip. This boy was so different, he made George feel something. He wanted to know more about him, spend more time with him. He had never connected with someone so quickly, and neither had Clay._ _

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__George leaned against the balcony railing next to Clay, startling him a little bit. George noticed the blondes slight flinch, and narrowed his eyes. Clay didn’t really know what to do, but let out a smile and turn his head back to the beautiful view of the sunrise. George did the same._ _

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__“Believe it or not, this town doesn’t seem too bad to me. Mine wasn’t much better, though” Clay spoke. George gathered his attention and put it to Clay, grateful that he spoke and George didn’t have to ask any questions that could very well make him uncomfortable. He let Clay speak at his own pace._ _

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__Clay had calmed down a bit, and let himself enjoy the golden sunrise. He didn’t really have any thoughts in that moment, he just let himself speak and didn’t care what he said, though he probably should have, he wouldn’t know._ _

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__“I don’t really know why I’m here, George. Sounds dumb, I still don’t remember the name of this place. But it’s alright.” Clay spoke, but got quieter as he continued. “Better than home” he finished, George barely able to hear him. George nodded, he wasn’t all that surprised._ _

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__Clay turned his attention back to George, he had noticed the brunette was looking at him, but he was too busy taking in the view. They smiled at each other, not feeling very awkward though. Clay turned his body towards George, still leaning on the crappy rusting rail of the balcony._ _

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__“Tell me about yourself, George” Clay smiled. George found himself liking how Clay said his name, not overly sure why, but he didn’t care. He smiled and looked to his feet._ _

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__“Only if you do as well. What can I say, I’m curious” George looked back up into Clays eyes and smirked. Clay felt a little bit frozen for a moment, he could barely render what happened last night, it’s not like he wanted to think about his family. But it was fair, Clay thought. He didn’t have to say everything, anyway. He slowly nodded to George._ _

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__“Let’s hear it”_ _

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ello !! hope you guys are enjoying the book so far, there was a lotta fluff in this chapter but the next few ones are gonna be more angsts and i’m not sorry  
> i’m probably gonna try and make this a bit more of a slow burn but not too boring, but i’m excited for where this is going hehe :]


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George and Clay get to know each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> small trigger warning - mentions of past trauma (pls stay safe everyone !)

The boys stood in silence for a few seconds, in attempt to read each others emotions. George was struggling to find where to start, even though there wasn't even much to say in the first place. He took a deep and satisfying breath before opening his mouth to speak. Clay was all ears, focused on George. The brunette noticed, but didn't mind all that much, and he started to talk.

"Not much to say, really. Boring life. I uh... Have two younger siblings, they're twins. Parents. They're a very 'family' family, if that makes sense. Personally, I like to spend lots of time by myself, which is why I come her all the time. And, well, therefore, I'm not social and rarely go out with friends or whatever. But, thats the life I've given myself, and I'm cool with that." George paused, his voice and expression sounding tired. He didn't really want to say anything else, after all, Clay was still new.

"Yeah, I'm boring" George said through a giggle. Clay smiled back.

"You're not boring, I'm just as introverted as you. I can't stand social people" They both laughed at Clays remark. They stood in silence for a short moment, their heads facing the view, but their eyes facing each other, and they could both tell, but said nothing about it.

"If you don't mind me asking, why the hell are you here? Why were you asleep on a train?" George asked, in hope that he wasn't going too far. He wasn't expecting an incredibly detailed response anyway, he respected that.

Clay felt his heart stop for a moment, and he stayed still. For a while, he forgot about everything that happened back at home. He was so caught up in the moment with his new friend, he felt fine. But the memories were forced back into his tired brain.

His fathers demonic drunk voice. The shattering glass. His little sisters cries.

His little sister.

_Fuck..._

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__George observed his friend staring out into the horizon and his very still body. Georges heart began to race, did he fuck up? He broke the silence, feeling guilty._ _

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__"I'm sorry- you don't have to say anything if you don't want to, that's my bad-" George got cut off, Clay had snapped back into the present, still trying to calm down._ _

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__"No no no, you're okay, it's alright. I uh, won't leave you hanging"_ _

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__George let go of the anxious air he was holding, and leaned into the railing, keeping his eyes on Clay._ _

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__Clay wasn't very sure of where to start or how much he wanted to say. He was trying so hard to keep his composure, but tried not to make it obvious. There was no way he was going to cry in front of a stranger. He was stronger than that, he thought. He gulped painfully, and began to stutter on his words a little bit._ _

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__"M-my dad isn't uh... The nicest of people, I guess. Never has been."_ _

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__George could already kind of tell where this was going, and he braced himself, all his attention to Clay. If anything, he felt quite grateful that the blonde was even comfortable saying that._ _

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__"I have a... A younger sister, Guinevere, she's still with my dad" Clay narrowed his eyes in guilt over his own words. But he didn't want to waste time, so he continued to talk._ _

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__"My mum isn't around, but she was great. Since she left it was sort of up to me to help both myself and my sister from my dad. Typical gross American, you know. Drunk, angry... Abusive."_ _

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__Another pause, the air was thick._ _

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__"We just got into an argument last night, and to avoid putting myself in danger, I just left. I... Had to, really."_ _

__George couldn't tell if there was no emotion or lots of emotion in Clays voice. Like he was struggling to hide his feelings. Maybe it was just defeat in his voice. Either way, George felt horrible. He knew it must have been terrible, nobody just runs away from home after a tiny argument. The brunette wanted to know so much more, but he remained respectful._ _

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__Clay felt his body tense up, with each second passing, the memories became more and more vivid. Was there a way to run away from his thoughts? He could only hope. His vision started to become a little foggy, but somehow his voice remained strong. Well, as strong as he could be. He was debating with himself as to whether he should continue to save his words for later._ _

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__"My mum always protected my sister and I from him, but he was just a massive dickhead to everyone in the family. Like, massive. So... I guess I'm happy to be here right now."_ _

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__George nodded, staying silent._ _

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__"So it's okay, I'm not with him anymore, I finally can control my life and do whatever the fuck I want, so... Yay" Clay said, intended sarcasm in his voice._ _

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__George wanted to say so much, but contained himself._ _

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__"I'm- sorry Clay. Even though I barely know you, I do know you didn't deserve that."_ _

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_You didn't deserve that._

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____Clay repeated that sentence in his head a few times._ _ _ _

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_Hm._

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______It took a moment for Clay to respond, but George stayed still._ _ _ _ _ _

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______"Sometimes I think I do. He's a uh... A big manipulator, and I always fall for it. But, god, sometimes- a lot of the time I just want to fucking kill him" Clays voice began to grow stronger, his words being unpredictable even to himself, but he had to get it out somehow._ _ _ _ _ _

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______"He acts like he is the victim all the time, and that everyone else should feel bad. Like, he just forgets about hurting all the people he should love. Then he continues to hurt us. I fucking-" Clay cut himself off. He could tell he was getting to riled up, his mouth tasted sour and his eyesight was foggy. He held his breath, the memories making him dizzy._ _ _ _ _ _

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______Georges heart was heavy. As much as Clay attempted to hide it, George could tell he was angry, broken, lonely, just by looking at him. Clay bit his lip, trying desperately to suck his tears back._ _ _ _ _ _

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______George observed Clay, he was starting to look just like he did when George discovered the weak boy that morning, and that broke Georges heart. Clay was hurt, and it was obvious._ _ _ _ _ _

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______At that point, Clay just felt guilt crash against him. His body felt as if it were infested with crawling ants, he was uncomfortable and angry. What about his sister? How could he just leave her there? Was she even safe?_ _ _ _ _ _

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______At that point, Clay wasn't sure if he was angry at his father or at himself. Just... Anger._ _ _ _ _ _

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______The exhausted blonde could feel his knees buckling, his hands were noticeably shaking, and he felt as if he was out of breath just from standing still. As his knees lost the battle and clicked, he slowly lowered himself to sit down, the only support being the hand rail. He scooted over to the wall of the lighthouse and smacked his back on it, letting himself let go of all the tension in his body. After a short moment, George joined him, his gaze still focused on Clay in such worry._ _ _ _ _ _

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______In that moment, all George wanted to do was hug Clay. He wanted to tell him nothing was his fault But he couldn't, that would be weird, right?_ _ _ _ _ _

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______George just sat next to his new friend, completely silent._ _ _ _ _ _

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______Clay took a moment to attempt to control his breathing, as hard as it was. He turned his head to face George who still had a worried expression. Clay smiled weakly at him, hoping to reassure the brunette. But George wasn't fully convinced._ _ _ _ _ _

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______"Sorry, kind of went on a tangent there, I don't usually talk to people about it, just got carried away" Clay mumbled. That made George feel worse for one reason or another._ _ _ _ _ _

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_This poor fucking kid..._

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__"Hey, you don't need to apologise. It's good you're talking about it, I'm happy you could trust me with this, even though we barely even know anything about each other." George smiled.__

__"Well, that's what today is for" Clay chirped, finally sounding a little more uplifted. It made George feel warm. But the brunette was still wondering why he was treating Clay so differently than others. How he trusted him so quickly, and how he felt so much for him. Just something about Clays company made George feel... Alright. For the first time in a long time. A really long time. He had no complaints, of course._ _

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___George smiled, and leaned back against the wall to stare up into the boring sky, Clay doing the same. They sat in silence for a little while. It wasn't awkward, weird, or anything like that. Finally, the silence was comforting by itself. Just the noise of nature and the feeling of each others company._ _ _

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________Clay focused hard on the sounds of wind in the trees and the small birds flying around the top of the lighthouse, trying to distract himself from all the terrible things going through his head. At this point, all he could do was control himself, and make the best out of a bad situation. It's what he always used to do when his mind got the best of him, especially after arguments with his drunk deadbeat father. It was usually quite hard to distract himself, mainly because of the environment he was in, and the fact that he was so alone and afraid. He was so thankful he was in a different place, somewhere that couldn't remind him of his home, and with someone, whom he hadn't known for very long, but he made Clay feel comfortable, less lonely._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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________Clay never actually liked being alone, but for the majority of his life, no one wanted to be in it. He didn't have much of a choice, so he had grown up with the company of himself. But now with George, someone who he had so quickly bonded with, he felt like there was a huge weight lifted off him. It felt so good, he wanted to cry. But all he could do was smile to himself, and it was hard to stop._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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________George broke the nice silence with the twisting of his shoes on the old and crumbly ground of the balcony as he stood up from his sitting position. He looked down at Clay, still sitting on the ground, who slowly moved his head to look at George who was blocking out the sun. Clay liked what he was seeing, which was weird for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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________George moved his hand to Clay, and the blonde grabbed his hand softly. Georges hand was warm and smooth, comforting. It felt nice to Clay, and it brought a smile to his face. George smiled back at Clays tired but hopeful face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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________"Come on, blondie. I'll show you around"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowee long chapter, woot woot  
> again, sorry for such inconsistent updates, ive been very busy, but i think ill be able to update every two days, and with teh day in between ill be updating "My Dirty Blonde Boy", hopefully i can stay to that schedule whoops-  
> hope yall enjoyed ! stay safe and have a good day/night :]  
> co-posted on wattpad


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys learn more about each other

Clay smirked at the remark.

Blondie.

"I'm dirty blonde, thank you" Clay said in a sarcastic tone.

George giggled and rolled his eyes, grabbing Clays hand and pulling him up. His new friends hand was bigger and rather cold compared to his. He also forgot how much taller Clay was. As Clay stood up, Georges wide eyes were fixed on his friends. 

"Dirty blondie is too long. And I'm lazy" George said, a sarcastic tone in his voice. Clay shrugged in agreement, and both boys exhaled through their noses, like a small laugh, but nothing was too funny.

Clays stomach was turning a little bit out of mostly embarrassment, if anything he was just mad at himself. George was the first kid he has met that hadn't been a dick head and or a clueless moron. George was obviously very smart and wise, especially for someone as young as himself. Clay always admired people like that, and now that he's met someone with those traits, Georges first impression of Clay was a sad and traumatised wreck. Clay rubbed his eyes with his spare hand and smiled through his tough emotions.

Clay noticed that him and George were still holding hands after the brunette offered to help him up. The boys didn't even talk, they didn't do anything, they acted like they were alone, even though their hands were holding each others. Clay wasn't too sure how to feel. George was still new to him, but his hand was so warm and comforting, even though it was smaller than Clays, it was still very nice. The blonde wasn't even nervous, he was so tired and out of it that he barely minded it at all.

After Clay dropped his hand that was rubbing his eyes to his side, George looked down at their hands, and his insides flinched. He let go of the grip of his hand, and let Clays hand free. They both slid their hands awkwardly to their sides. George looked back up at Clay, and gave him the look of pretend that didn't happen, okay? Clay narrowed his eyes for a moment, but then smiled an okay back to him.

George observed Clay for another second or two, and raised his eyebrow.

"You look exhausted, do you wanna do something else, maybe?" George asked, his voice high pitched, genuine and smooth.

"no, no, no-" Clay interrupted, slightly worried that he sounded weird, but continued to talk. For the first time in a while, he was finally enjoying someones company, and that feeling made him warm inside.

"Show me everything this shit hole 's got" Clay said with pure excitement in his voice. Well, there wasn't much exciting about the town, but then again, George excited him. His new friend made him happy.

George laughed, his smile bright and big as usual. His eyes seemed to close a little when he smiled, it was sweet.

George put his hands behind his back and stood on his heels, and tilted his head towards the door, keeping his eyes on Clay, who easily understood Georges body language and hopped over to the door with a jolly bounce, making George smile even wider. He followed behind Clay.

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George was right when he said he didn't have the most exiting life. It wasn't really the happiest, either, but he taught himself to deal with it, often using distractions. He figured that was the normal way of dealing with issues, and thought that maybe it would help Clay, too. The poor boy had been through enough, and it hadn't even been 24 hours. And, to Georges surprise, they both seemed to really like each others company. The brunette just hoped he was doing the right thing. He was going to at least try and make today enjoyable for Clay with the little recourses he had in his shitty town.

Clays mind was blank as he trotted down the creaky stairs of the very poorly lit lighthouse. Ironic for a lighthouse, but expected just from the look of the old building. The boys just had to hope a stair didn't collapse and they could make it down to the bottom without getting hurt. They stayed close to each other, making sure to be careful, but somewhat rushed anyway.

As they got to the bottom of the lighthouse, the old door had closed, not entirely though, a very narrow streak of light was showing through. The door was jammed in the hard dirt from outside, and by a simple look, they could tell it needed to be forced open.

George caught up to Clay, standing next to him, both boys eyes on the half unhinged door. They quickly glanced at one another, but they could hardly tell since it was so dark. George made out Clays figure walking over to the door, and flinched as the blonde forcefully kicked open the door, and it almost fell off the remaining hinges that were hanging onto dear life. Natural light filled the dark hole they were standing in, and George could finally see Clays happy and almost proud smile. George let out a laugh, feeling a little impressed, but he didn't let himself admit it. But he knew Clay was proud, as if he were a little child, whether it was ironic or not, George just let out a happy sigh.

George walked through first, squinting at the hot sun that greeted him from the dark room, but he didn't feel welcome by it. He het himself naturally adjust his eyes to the light of the late morning, and swivelled back around to face the doorway, watching as Clay bent over to get through. He had the same reaction to the light as George, who was attempting to use his hand as shade for his eyes.

The boys had been a bit quiet for a while, but for some reason it still wasn't uncomfortable. The silence was good in that moment, though, because George had no fucking clue of anything exciting about his town he could show Clay. But a part of him knew his new friend understood that already. And he wasn't wrong. Clay could quickly tell that this town wasn't anything better than his hometown, but he appreciated Georges kindness in showing him around. After all, George could have easily just pretended he never noticed Clay, or treated him like shit on the train when they first met each other, but he didn't. And Clay was grateful for that, its the first time in a long time that someone had been genuinely kind to him. He gave George the time he needed.

"Okay, there really isn't much to this town, I'll admit. It's small, there aren't many people, and I hate it." George said bluntly. Clay giggled a bit, and George continued.

"There's a beach, I guess. But I haven't even been there, I don't know if its any good" George turned his head to bring his attention to see the large area of sand over the hill, leading out to the bright and surprisingly clean looking ocean.

Clay smirked and looked at George. "I like adventures"

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The walk wasn't long to the beach. Nobody else was there, it wasn't really the best weather to be at the beach anyway. The walk wasn't quiet, though. The air was filled with the loud laughs and wheezes from the boys, as well as constant happy chatter. Their conversations were all over the place. From jokes that would make your mother blush, to fun little stories from their childhoods. When they told their stories, they would be bouncing around everywhere, looking at each other with such excitement in their wide eyes, gesturing their hands all over the place, and they paid lots of attention to each other.

George loved Clays funny stories from him and his little sister going on silly (and most of the time dangerous) adventures when they were kids, and how their mother always got angry at them when they came home covered in dirt and sticks with messy hair and ripped clothes, but she knew she was just happy to see her children having as much fun as they could until their father came back. But Clay didn't talk about that part, he was afraid it would ruin the mood, honestly he would rather die than talk about his dickhead of a dad. He just wanted to remember the good parts.

It was a good way for them to get to know each other. Their friendship was so quickly built, they felt so connected, like they were meant to meet each other, and neither of them were complaining.

The boys reached the beach, and only realised they were there when they were already in the middle of the sand, they were so invested in sharing stories that they forgot what they were actually meant to be doing. They looked at each other and laughed, but nothing really changed, they continued their stories and stopped every now and then when they discovered pretty shells or a pelican bopping around in the practically waveless water.

To the boys surprise, the beach was relatively nice for such a rundown town. The lighting was always golden, it was clean, and the sea breeze was very pleasant. Clay, warming up to the heat (literally) and grabbed the bottom of his hoodie and pulled it over his head, trying not to make his shirt come with it, but he couldn't help it much. George looked away, he sort of felt like he had to. Clay held on to a sleeve of his hoodie and tossed it over his shoulder, it blowing in the wind behind him. George glanced back to Clay and observed him. His eyes were squinted and his wavy blonde hair was willowing in the sea air. His small freckles were prominent in the lighting, and his eyes were a very bright green. His shirt pressed against his chest as they walked through the wind. His smile was still visible through his talking. He looked comfortable, like he felt safe. If anything, George was just happy that he was happy. The brunette smiled and slowly turned his eyes to look forward again.

The boys continued to hop around and look for fascinating finds along the shore, until they had reached the other side of the beach. To both boys surprise, they found a massive cave. They stopped at the same time in front of it, with the same shocked and intrigued faces. It faced the water and looked quite nice to sit in. Neither of them even had to discuss that, though. They walked in and found a nice spot to sit with an ocean view. The waves were getting larger, and the noise of the crashing waves echoed in the cave like a nice ambiance. The loud mood they had died down quite a bit, and they were both still and calm. They had done so much talking already, and they both enjoyed every second of it of course.

George didn't know if he was ready to stop asking questions, though. A part of him wanted to know more about Clays parents, since he hadn't talked too much about them. He knew one was an asshole and one wasn't around, that was about it. Was it selfish to ask, though? Or mean? Or just not the right time?

_Fuck it. ___

__"So, uhm, before you said your mum isn't around anymore." George said quietly, looking over to study Clays reaction to his statement. But he didn't do much, his eyes shifted to the ground, that was about it. George cautiously continued._ _

__"Did something happen?"_ _

__There was a short moment of silence. Clay wasn't offended or mad that George asked, he was quite okay with it, but he was processing everything he was saying just as much as George was. Clay let out a sigh, add started talking._ _

__"About just under a year ago, my mum was diagnosed with, uh, cancer. Lung caner. And it god bad, quickly. After a while, she wasn't able to do as much stuff, and it was getting dangerous faster than we expected. The evenings I would come home and help her bake us little things and all that, they became a lot less often, and I'd just be left with my sister at home whilst my dad would be driving her to the hospital. Mind you, he didn't even stay with her, nor did he come home. Probably got drunk somewhere, I don't know. He barely let my sister and I see her, then about four months ago, one night my dad came home off his head and told us... Told us she was gone."_ _

__There was a pause, but Clay didn't expect George to say anything, he just had to get his head around everything he was saying. It wasn't the time for another breakdown. He forced himself to continue._ _

__"I never got to tell her thank you for making me smile, for helping me when my dad was trying to hurt us. I never got to tell her that I loved her, because my fucking dad wouldn't let me see her. And... And he had the audacity to tell me one day that she left the world thinking that I hated her. And, of course, I believed him stupidly. I thought he was right, because I didn't see her. But I realise now that wasn't my fault. But sometimes I still think about it. What if she did think that? That I hated her? What if she just felt so scared?" Clays words grew stronger, he was trying really hard to keep it together._ _

__"What if she felt so so alone a-and afraid?" Clay crossed his arms and dug his nails deeply into his arms as he spoke. George noticed and softly grabbed Clays hand and felt the blonde un tense. They looked into each others eyes, both of them trying not to cry at this point. Clay whispered under his breath, not expecting a response._ _

__"Am I a terrible person?"_ _

_Did I deserve the shit dad did to me...?_

______George didn't really know how to respond. It was a terrible but important moment. He could tell that Clay was trying really hard not to break, and George felt heartbroken. He didn't even know Clays last name, but he already felt so special to George. Without another though, George stood up, still holding onto Clays hand which pulled him up too. Clay narrowed his eyes, and without another second passing, George wrapped his arms around Clay. He didn't care if it was awkward or weird, he just knew that Clay needed a hug. Everyone does every now and then, and Clay hadn't felt loved in so long._ _ _ _ _ _

____Clay stood there trying to process what was going on. He slowly hugged George back, his throat clogging up as thoughts filled his head. No one was forcing him to be strong in that moment, no one was telling him he had to "act like a man, because men don't cry" like he was always told. George was there for him, and Clay felt like he could let his emotions run when he was around him. His heart was beating fast and his breathing was shaky and uneven. His eyes were starting to get sore, so he shut his eyes and felt tears roll up in his long eyelashes._ _ _ _

____Neither of them said anything. What were they going to say, anyway? George felt it wasn't the right moment to say anything. Clay didn't have to explain anything, and George didn't want to spout out words that Clay probably wouldn't believe anyway. The hug spoke more than words._ _ _ _

____It was warm and comforting. It was a "You don't need to filter yourself around me. You're okay" hug._ _ _ _

____After a few more moments of silence, George spoke very quietly and calmly. His sentences spaced out a bit._ _ _ _

____"You're worthy of so much more than what your mind is telling you. Your mother loved you so much, and she knew that you loved her too. None of that was your fault, you shouldn't have had to deal with that. Fuck your dad."_ _ _ _

____Clay didn't respond, but he smiled through his tears._ _ _ _

____They let go of one another, but still held each others hand. They both felt more comfortable that way, god knows why. George turned to face the ocean. He breathed in deeply, and let out a yell._ _ _ _

____"FUCK CLAYS DAD" He yelled to the ocean, and Clay let out a soft giggle. George looked to the blonde, and Clay repeated his friends words to the sea._ _ _ _

____"FUCK YOU DAD"_ _ _ _

____It felt good._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohmygod hi everyone ! jesus christ i havent written in ages im SORRY- a long and kinda slow chapter, but it was nice to write hehe
> 
> just wanted to say a big thank you for nearly 500 reads on ao3 ! very pog ! other book will be updated by tomorrow (thank u for nearly 1.1k on that one too!!)
> 
> have a good day/night yall :]
> 
> co-posted on wattpad


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clay preps to see Georges family

The grip of the two boys hand didn't loosen, and neither of them were upset in the slightest about that. Just, why did it feel so right? Neither of them had been so open about themselves to anyone in a long time. Mind you, they hadn't even known each other for longer than a day, half a day even.

_Fuck you, dad. ___

__Clay had wanted to get that out of his system so badly. Just to scream that shit out like there was no fucking tomorrow. He felt so in the moment, nothing in the past was getting to him, nothing that could happen in the future was even thought of once, he just... was. He was there with his new friend, letting so much go at once. Well, he didn't even give himself a lot of time to process everything, but did he care? No, absolutely not. He didn't care about where he was going to go, how he was even going to live. What mattered was he was with his new friend, his new best friend. Was it too soon to give him that title...? Clay shrugged that thought off, it wasn't like he had a previous best friend, let alone that many friends in the past._ _

__George looked over to Clay, his emerald green eyes glowing from the shiny reflection off the water and a small but meaningful smile on his face. George couldn't help but grin. He was proud of Clay. Of course, he still had yet to know the whole story, there was a good chance that Clay left out some details, and George understood that, but he was still proud of him. He began to get a much better understanding of Clay._ _

__He was a tough kid at heart. Always there to help protect others, like he always made himself the leader, no matter what. He was also quiet, though. It was possibly usually hard for Clay to talk about things going on in his own life, but seemed to be there for others. For example, him and his sister seemed to have a strong bond, Clay always keeping her under his wing. He was brave and strong, essentially. But... Maybe that wasn't that much of a good thing. He seemed to have dealt with so much pressure since he was so young, and the only reason he was like that was because he had people, his father, break him down. He had to force himself to be the way he was. But that shit hurts people, and George knew that. But the brunette didn't believe that Clay knew that. Maybe Clay was broken. No, not maybe. He had spent his whole life being everyone else's hero, he practically forgot about himself. Even by his physical appearance you could easily tell that man needed a fucking break. You don't always have to be the hero, sometimes you need saving too, and that's okay._ _

__George shut his analysis out after that, and narrowed his eyes slightly at Clay, who didn't seem to notice George staring at him. Even he barely rendered that he hadn't taken his eyes off of Clay for a solid minute. Whoops._ _

__George just wanted to hug him again. God knows why, but he refrained for now. Georges mind flooded with possible fun little things he could do with Clay. He could meet his family!... Too weird? He didn't fucking know._ _

__George grinned wider, and without letting go of Clays hand, he jumped out of the cave. Clay was yanked along, shock filling his body, mainly in hopes that he wouldn't fall over. When he got his balance back, he smiled at George._ _

__"You have siblings" George stated to Clay, who wasn't overly sure if it was a question or not._ _

__"Yessir" Clay responded, a small bit of sarcasm was detected from his tone._ _

__"Is she annoying and loud?" George asked. Clay tilted his head._ _

__"No, not really" He responded. He looked at George in such confusion as if he were a puzzle that Clay just couldn't quite solve._ _

__"Holy shit, you don't know how lucky you are. I have TWO younger siblings, the fuckers are twins for christ sake. One is pretty chill, but my god you wait until you meet Tommy. Swear to god you will wanna beat his ass" George yelled out, half laughing. Clay moved his head backward and raised one eyebrow, smiling. Multiple thoughts ran through the blondes head at that moment._ _

__Siblings? Meeting them? Huh?_ _

__George continued, unfazed by Clays reaction._ _

__"My parents are nice. You will LOVE my mum, she's an angel, but very full on though. My dad, eh, not the worst, but very different to my mum, a lot more quiet and actually has his shit together" George was looking up at the sky blabbering on. He was walking backwards, still gripping onto Clays larger hand. The blonde followed him facing forward, giving George an overwhelmed smile, breathing out small laughs between Georges wild sentences._ _

__Was he going to Georges house?_ _

__Clay was surprised that George trusted him that easily, but he was happy about it anyway. A home, a nice home._ _

__George fell silent, and the boys locked eyes. George could tell that Clay seemed a little shocked by his sudden mention of meeting family. George looked slightly panicked for a short moment, and tried his best to reassure Clay._ _

__"I-I just need to grab some stuff from home and we can go again"_ _

__Clay laughed at Georges words. Yet he was also washed over with gratefulness. George wanted to spend more time with him?_ _

__It was good to know that he didn't bore the shit out of George._ _

__Clay smiled and calmed himself down. "George, I don't mind, trust me" He reassured him._ _

__George still felt a little uneasy, like he may have said something wrong, but he shoved those feelings back down._ _

__Neither of them acknowledged the fact that they hadn't let go of each other for quite a while now, and again, neither of them gave a shit to begin with. It felt so safe. Essential, practically. Nothing could hurt either of them, they were together and they were okay. That's what mattered._ _

__George smiled at Clay, and continued to blabber on about his annoying siblings and family life. Clay couldn't help but grin. He really enjoyed listening to George. He didn't care what he was talking about, but boy, he could listen to George speak about anything for hours on end. He was so excited to spend time with this boy._ _

__He just hoped that Georges family wouldn't be weird about a stranger being in their house. Especially if he had only met George hours prior. Whatever._ _

__He just continued to bounce along and smile at Georges words._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAH hey yall, back at it again
> 
> a somewhat short chapter, mOstly filler lol
> 
> just wanted to say a mAssive thank you for nearly 800 reads already on ao3!! thats insane!! This book is growing so much faster than i thought it would, and i cant thank yall enough! i took a bit of a break from writing, but i truly promise this time ill try my best to at least be a little consistent. hope yall enjoyed the chapter, see ya next time :]
> 
> co-posted on wattpad


	8. Chapter 8

Georges house was simple. Not big, but not small, probably built in the 70's. It wasn't much different from every other house in his town. Made out of bricks, two storeys, you know the drill. The boys stopped at the door silently, and George let out a sigh. He glanced up at Clay, giving him a reassuring smile, the blonde smiling back. What could go wrong, anyway?

George let go of Clay and clutched his small hand onto the door knob, and the second the door creaked open even an inch, laughter, yelling and, what Clay could tell, chaos rang in his ears. He flinched at the sudden loud noise. He had most likely gotten used to the silence and simple talking between him and George. It didn't take long for Clay to realise why George said he hated spending time at home, how could someone handle all that? Christ...

Even George winced at the noise coming from his house, he half shut his eyes and opened the door the whole way. The first thing Clay properly noticed was a tall child running across the living room, yelling something out, something he couldn't really put his finger on. By the short glimpse of the boy, he could tell he was blonde and loud, quite possibly Tommy. Clays chest began to feel a little tight, and he narrowed his eyes. His fingers felt shaky, and George noticed quickly. He grabbed Clays hand again, feeling his tensed up hand relax slowly. Clay could breathe again.

George stepped into his house, Clay following right behind him carefully.

A young girls voice yelled out in pure aggression "FUCK OFF TOMMY!" followed by an older woman quickly responding with a loud "LANGUAGE!!". It made Clay chuckle to himself, and George smiled at that. The boys walked into the middle of the empty living room, but the noise was still evident and loud. Clay looked over at George, who seemed to be a little embarrassed.

"Sorry, it's really loud, that's Tommy's fault-" Georges apology was cut off by the loud child entering the room.

"WHAT'S THE SUPPOSED TO MEAN, BITCH?" The boy had his hands in the air and his head elevated, like he was of high authority. His fluffy blonde hair bopped up and down as he strutted around the living room. His stance was strong, and there was no denying he was tall. For a younger sibling to George meant he was still a teenager, yet had the height of a fully grown adult. Clay wasn't sure if that was intimidating or not. He was quite skinny and pale, with a thick accent, somewhat similar to Georges. It was safe to say that this boy liked to make his presence known.

George turned around and scoffed the sight at his younger brother. Tommy smirked back at him.

"Stop swearing, you're a child, you should be eating dirt in the back yard, creature" George argued with him.

"Shut up, Gogy" Tommy responded, putting lots of emphasis on the "Gogy". Clay guessed it was a family nickname, and by Georges annoyed reaction, it probably wasn't his favourite nickname of all time. Tommy pointed his eyes toward Clay, his expression not changing.

"Who's this?" Tommy asked firmly, it barely sounding like a question.

"Don't sound so rude, Tommy." George firmly answered, rolling his eyes before continuing. "This is Clay, my new friend"

New friend. Huh.

Tommy looked over at Clay and gave him a gremlin-like smile, possibly sarcastic.

"Welcome, Clay" Tommy babbled, once again putting an extensive amount of emphasis on his name. Clay could tell that was a weird little thing he did often. He wore a white shirt with bright red sleeves, which looked a little small on him. Clay felt bad for his mother, who probably had to buy different sized shirts every month for Tommy.

Clay gave Tommy a small smile. "Hey Tommy"

Tommy looked over at George, who already didn't look all that happy by his little brothers company, and gave him a smirk.

"Oooooh, talking about me hm?"

George rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Tommy. I even said your name before, that's how he knows you" George lied, but wilt wasn't like Tommy could tell.

"Well nobody listens to you-" Tommy rebutted. Clay couldn't help but giggle, though it didn't seem to distract the siblings argument. George interrupted his taller brother.

"Go and piss off Faith or something" George growled. Tommy turned around and strutted away with a scoff.

"Sorry for interrupting you and your boyfriend, bitch" Tommy shouted on his way out of the living room.

All George could do was let out a frustrated and embarrassed stutter. Clay wasn't sure how to react, he just locked his eyes on George, who's eyes were narrowed and face had quickly tinted red. George slowly turned his head to face Clay, and gave him the look of "I'm sorry for this", and Clay couldn't help but laugh. Not after Tommys lovely statement, the woman from before yelled out once more.

"TOMMY I WON'T SAY IT AGAIN, STOP SWEARING! AND WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?" The yelling lady walked into the room that the boys were standing in, holding a pale blue kitchen towel. Her eyes widened as she laid her soft brown eyes on Clay. The blonde didn't expect a whole family meeting, but here he was. 

The woman's accent was strong, but her voice remained soft. She sounded like she was out of an old story, or a fairytale. A warm smile grew on her face, but embarrassment was seen behind her eyes.

"Oh! Hello there!" She chirped, flopping the kitchen towel onto the head of a chair. Clay returned a hello to the woman.

She was quite short, possibly where George got his height from. They looked very similar. The strange thing was that Tommy and George looked very different, one being tall and blonde, the other being smaller and having very dark hair. Their personalities were wildly different, too. But Georges mother reminded Clay of George very well. Her hair was thin and wavy, a pretty dark russet colour. It was mid length with lots of waves and volume. She had a long wispy, shaggy fringe that danced around as she walked. She seemed very lovely to Clay. She reminded him of his own mother. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing, though. Now wasn't really the time to think about his own family, not that he wanted to anyway.

"Mum, this is Clay. I met him today, but I just need to grab a few things and we will be out again" George mentioned, shoving his hands in the pockets of his dark blue hoodie.

"It's very lovely to meet you, Clay" The woman chirped. "Are you sure you two don't want to stay just for a little longer?"

George interrupted quickly. "No, mum, it's fine, we're about to go"

"STOP ANNOYING GEORGE AND HIS BOYFRIEND, MUM" Tommy taunted loudly in the other room. George responded to Tommys silly accusations quickly.

"He's my friend" He said firmly. His mother smiled, trying to contain a giggle.

"Hey, whatever helps you sleep. I'm Helen, by the way" She said softly.

"Nice to meet you, Helen"

"Sorry about the rather chaotic household, I bet yours is better" Helen said with a laugh.

Georges face blew up, and breathed in quickly. Clay didn't really know what to say.

No, Helen. My mother is dead and my father is a fuckhead.

But he couldn't say that.

"Well-" Clay sputtered, those were the only words to come out of his mouth before George butted in.

"Anyway, uh, one moment" George grabbed Clay by the hand and brought him upstairs. They stopped at the top of the stairs and George let out a loud sigh.

"Holy shit, that was awful, sorry-" George began to quickly apologise.

"Dude, calm down, it's okay" Clay laughed.

"Your mum is nice"

"I assure you my sister is better than Tommy"

"Grab your shit, Gogy" Clay laughed at his own words, not surprised by Georges reaction of his use of the nickname Tommy had given him. It was cute. The brunette scoffed and smiled, turning around to jog to his room. Clay waited at the top of the stairs quietly, before hearing George yell out.

"Come in here, stupid!"

Clay wheezed and made his way to Georges bedroom doorway.

His room was big, but simply decorated. Nothing crazy, just like the rest of the house. Clay took it into account that George hadn't lived there for very long, though. He found George standing slightly hunched over at his desk, scrambling little bits and pieces around. he smiled and grabbed a few small things that were hiding behind a stack of books and notepads.

"Keep your mouth shut if I show you" George smiled. Clay raised an eyebrow, but nodded slowly.

George held the small objects in his hands that were half covered by his hoodie that was noticeably big for him. A big grin was on his face as he shuffled towards Clay.

In Georges hands were some small fireworks, god knows where he got them. Clay cracked a smile.

"Are those legal?" Clay asked quietly through a soft giggle.

"Shit no, but that doesn't mean they're not fun to use" George said menacingly. Clay wheezed, but couldn't disagree.

"What do you say?" George looked up at Clay, his brown eyes bright and wide, like a puppies.

"When it's dark?"

"Duh, I wouldn't waste valuable illegal things"

Clay never really thought of George as a rebellious kid, but he wasn't very surprised, he was a teenage boy, that's what teenage boys do.

"When does the sun set?"

"Not that long, we spent much longer outside than I thought we did" George shrugged.

George walked over to the mirror in the corner of his room, and Clay quietly followed him. George began to fluff his hair around in attempt to style it properly.

"I hate my hair, goddamnit" He said quietly to himself, but he spoke loud enough for Clay to understand his words.

"It looks great, what do you mean?" Clay responded, not really thinking about what he was saying until it was said and done. Was that weird? Fuck.

George swivelled around, one eyebrow raised and a big smile on his face. He wasn't convinced. Clay lightly fluffed up the top of Georges hair, giving it more volume and curl. George didn't argue, he just tilted his head down, even though he was short enough for Clay to reach. Clay flopped his hands back down to his side, and gave George a smile. The brunette crossed his arms, his eyebrows narrowed and the grin still present on his face. He threw his hands up to Clays head, though it was hard to reach, but he managed, and fluffed his dirty blonde hair around. Clay laughed and grabbed Georges small hands.

"Oh, come on now, not fair" He wheezed, George joining in on the laughing fit.

"Oh, shut up, let's go" George argued, trying to collect himself.

The boys jolted downstairs in hopes that Georges parents wouldn't investigate what they were hiding. A new man was downstairs when they reached the bottom. George smiled at the man, and paced towards the door, one hand holding Clays, the other holding the small fireworks in his hoodie pockets.

"Hi dad, bye dad" George squeaked, keeping his focus on the door. Clay managed to turn around and walk sideways, facing Georges father, giving him a wave and a quick hello. The man didn't say anything, nothing at all. The man looked like Tommy, the same blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, though his were a little more faded than Tommys. Speaking of Tommy...

"Gogy's going to make out with Clayyyy" He teased out loud, Helen giving him a death glare, which made Tommy cackle.

"Shut your fucking mouth, Tommy!" George yelled before slamming the door closed, only for him to hear an angry and muffled "LANGUAGE!!" from his mother, which made Clay laugh loudly.

"Yeah, Gogy, no swearing" Clay taunted. George scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You're just as annoying as Tommy, don't make me smack you" George joked, which only made Clay laugh harder. George couldn't help but laugh a little as well, though.

"Come on, blondie" George scoffed, purposefully repeating the word he knew Clay hated, and continued to walk.

"Dirty blonde" Clay said boldly, acting like he was offended.

"Shut up" George giggled. Clay smiled and watched George walk along next to him. He couldn't look away, and his brain battled with itself over that. Look away, no don't! He couldn't keep up. George glanced over at Clay, and gave him a small smile before looking away. Clay returned the smile, only it didn't disappear. 

Some people just make you feel some way.

Uh oh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck this was a long one sorry bout that, more fluff i guess, but we really gonna get into it next chapter, so buckle the fuckle up >:] am v excited lmAO
> 
> thank you for nearly 900 reads yall are awesome !!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George and Clay spend the evening together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> strap in fuckers, this one is LONG

George could see half of Clays face in his peripheral vision. The blonde was staring at him with a goofy grin on his face. George narrowed his eyes and smirked, turning his head slightly, staring back at Clay.

"What are you looking at?" George purred.

Clays heart thumped in his pained lungs. He let out a much needed sigh that sounded like a laugh.

"You. And your stupid face" Clay joked nervously. George laughed in return.

"You sound like my brother" George scoffed.

"Don't say that"

Laughter was shared between the two. Tommy was a good kid, but nothing stopped him from poking fun at everything he possibly could and just generally being loud. Not boring, not annoying.

SO far, Clay could tell that George had quite a nice family. Well, he had only properly met two members, and a quick glimpse of Georges dad, that was about it. But they all seemed lovely, he felt more welcome than he ever did at his own home, and he was thankful for that.

His own home.

Clay wondered how things were going there. If his dad was wondering where he was. Maybe he was worried. No, he wouldn't be, of course he wouldn't be.

But what about his sister?

Oh fuck, his sister. Guinevere. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Was she okay? Was she safe? Clay had the urge to call her, the anxiety made him sick to his stomach, like he was hit by a bunch of bricks out of nowhere.

Wait, where was he even going to stay at night? He hadn't really thought that far the day he left his town. He was too caught up in just getting as far away as he could. He never expected anything to be going as well as it was. He never expected to meet anyone, especially not someone like George. Someone who wasn't afraid to talk to him, someone who didn't leave Clay stranded on a train in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe he had to go back.

Clay was pulled back into reality by a concerned George.

"You okay?"

Clay flinched a little and blinked at George. Clay didn't even notice the state he was in. His breathing was hitched and his eyes were wide open and worried. George could tell he was too deep into a thought, and by the looks of it, not a good one.

"Oh- uh, yeah" Clay managed to stutter out. George frowned at him.

"Clay"

"George"

"I know you're lying" George replied firmly. Clay rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on now"

"Oh, come on now" George repeated Clays words, and the blonde smiled.

"You're so stupid" Clay sarcastically argued through a quiet laugh.

"You just confuse me" George squeaked.

"You sure you're okay?" George asked seriously, and the smile was wiped off both their faces.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay" Clay nodded.

George continued to study Clay for a few more seconds, before pulling him closer to him as they walked so they could have a proper conversation. The swift movement gave Clay a shock, but there were no complaints out of him.

"Where are we going?" Clay asked after gathering his senses again.

"You'll see" George replied.

"I don't like surprises"

"I don't care"

Clay laughed at their banter. "You're so stupid"

"Quit calling me stupid, stupid" George argued between giggles.

"What are you gonna do?" Clay interrogated.

"Kick your ass" George replied, trying his best to act serious, but it was no use.

"All talk, no bite" Clay teased in Georges ear.

"Do you want me to smack you?" George twisted his head towards Clay, his eyes determined along with a big grin.

"I could take you!" Clay yelled, which made George scoff.

"I'd like to see you try" He chaffed, walking on his tippy toes in attempt to seem more intimidating (which failed inevitably).

Clay smiled at George evilly, like he was about to attack him. George didn't wait any longer, and fear struck into him as he started to pick up the pace. Clay was scarier than usual in that moment. All George knew was that he should probably run.

"No, wait, leave me alone!" George yelled as he began to run, quickly speeding up.

"Come 'ere, Georgie!" Clay responded through massive wheezes.

George had no chance in outrunning Clay, and that would soon be evident. George made a swift turn to the right, nearing towards some old buildings, which was a stupid idea, because now he was cornered and helpless. He reached an old, mouldy brick wall and slammed his hands against it. Just as he turned around, Clay had reached him, which made the brunette squeal.

Clay slammed his hand on the wall right next go Georges head and let out a quick wheeze from Georges terrified reactions. The boys locked eyes, their breathing loud. Clay looked so different from that angle. George was shit terrified, his eyes wide open and brows narrowed deeply. It didn't help that Clay was constricting the space around him, especially in such a stance. George never realised how much taller the blonde was compared to him, but he could tell now as he stood a mere few centimetres away. His face was relaxed, but his smile was soft. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. The blonde leaned in towards Georges face.

"I got you" He purred. George stopped breathing for a quick moment. His stomach curled and his hands tensed up. He couldn't say anything, he could barely move whilst his insides were swirling around by Clays intimidating presence.

"Oh, shut up" George managed to spit out, closing his eyes in defeat. Clay laughed and backed away. George relaxed himself.

"You're terrifying" The brunette breathed.

"You're a scaredy-cat, that's what this is"

"Just follow me" George groaned, making Clay giggle.

"Does big Clay scare you, huh?" Clay teased, like he was talking to a five year old who thought they saw a monster in their closet.

"I nearly shat myself, you dick" George rebutted.

"You're an easy target"

"Stop talking. Please"

"I know you don't want me to"

Well, he was right, but George growled anyway without properly responding for a moment.

"You're like a child" George rolled his dark eyes.

"I'm amazing" The cocky Clay replied.

I know that. "No you're not"

"Don't make me blush, George" Clay joked.

"I'll make you do what I want" George snapped back.

Clay spat out a laugh. "You're so cute" He whispered to himself. But it was loud enough for Georges ears to perk up. He made out as many words as he could, and his face tinted red.

George didn't respond, he just gulped, silence filling the air once again.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was starting to set a little bit, the boys barely realised how much time had passed in between their little adventures to little places in the town. The bush, the small markets, just playing around on the broken deserted streets. Mostly poking fun at one another or having stupid conversations about completely random subjects.

The evening arrived quickly, and the boys decided to head back to the lighthouse they went to that morning. They weren't exactly tired, but they were nowhere near as energetic and awake they were for most of the day. The summer breeze had kicked in, cooling down the air a bit. It felt very refreshing, especially near the ocean where the air had a salty taste to it. The land was a red-gold colour as the sun peeked over the clouds on the horizon It was such a peaceful evening, a lovely way to end the day. They reached the crooked and broken door, letting out a small laugh at the terrible state it was in from their last visit. It was hanging on to one hinge and a wooden panel was hanging off by a bent nail. It was still open, though, so the boys crawled through the entry and stood once more in the dark hole that was the bottom of the lighthouse. It was much darker at night, there was no sunlight that could peer through the doorway or the entryway to the balcony.

"I swear, those stairs are gonna fall any second now" George breathed, squinting his eyes and trying to make out where he was standing. Clay hummed in agreement. George took the first step up the crooked staircase, sliding his hand along the wall as he stepped, as if it would help him balance. Clay followed closely behind him, keeping an eye out for his figure as it moved in the very dim light. It took much longer for the boys to get up the stairs now that it was night, it's not like they wanted to fall to their deaths, you know.

George let out a sigh of relief as his eyes caught the sight of the evening sun as he reached the balcony. He jumped up the last step, the slight anxiety leaving his body now that he was off the unstable stairs. He turned around swiftly to double check that Clay was behind him, and there he was. The golden evening sunlight shone on his face as he emerged out of the darkness, his emerald eyes squinting at the change of brightness around him, and a small smile creeping onto his soft lips. His hair was curly from the ocean air, and it shone a beautiful fire colour.

"The sunset is beautiful, but my eyes are fucking burning" Clay commented.

"Yeah, it is" George replied silently, forcing himself to look away from the blonde in front of him. He turned his head slowly away to face the water.

The evenings weren't always that beautiful in St. Marks, tonight was special. The puffy clouds were a coral pink shade and the sky was tainted yellow from the warm sun. It was so different from the dark and gloomy grey sky when the sun would be hidden behind the huge clouds that dominated the sky. George smiled at the thought. It really was a special day.

George glanced his eyes to his left as Clay shuffled up next to him to lean on the railing. George swallowed, his throat sore, and put his focus back to the view.

"So, where did you get the fireworks? And why do you have so many?" Clay questioned, his tone full of curiosity.

"Um..." George croaked, struggling to quickly put his explanation into words without revealing too much. But at this point, he wasn't sure if he really cared that much now. He felt like he had known Clay for years, like they were best friends in another life. George dug his hand into his hoodie pocket, making sure the small fireworks were still in tact and not lost.

"Coping, I guess?" George continued quietly. Clay was curious now, he felt like he had said so much about himself, but hardly knew anything about George in depth. The blonde listened closely.

"Like... Sometimes when shit is too much, I go somewhere at night where I know other people won't see me. Light the fireworks, and as they pop, I just... Scream at the top of my lungs sometimes. Or i just picture the explosion as my problems and watch them blow up. Either way personally helps me"

Clay couldn't say he had ever tried that. The only person in his house who screamed about problems was his dad. Clay was forced to stay quiet, he knew what would happen if he expressed any emotion at home. All he could do was sit there, emotionless, and listen to his fathers bullshit. He couldn't even cry loudly. Every moment at home, he felt so numb and useless. He couldn't stand up for himself, and it was bad enough when he risked defending his sister from their dad. So, maybe this could help.

"What do you think about?" Clay questioned, and George fell silent for a few seconds.

"Stuff"

Clay didn't question anymore, he just nodded to Georges response.

"Show me how it's done" Clay purred, making George breathe out a smile.

Clay was intrigued, the mystery boy in front of him in deep thought. A short moment passed, then he dug his hands back into his pocket and clutched onto a few fireworks.

"Life sucks, Clay. You know that." Georges tone was much more serious than before, giving Clay a bit of a shock. That came out of nowhere. He wasn't wrong, it just wasn't expected.

"The world is full of disappointing, fake people. You know that, too. I'm probably one of them. I know I'm one of them. I've spent my life being fucking miserable. I ignored all my friends, I pushed everyone away, and now I'm here."

Wow. Those words hit Clay right in his heart.

"Oh, come on now" Clay breathed before getting interrupted.

"It's true. Shit isn't sunshine and rainbows, there's not happy ending like in kids books. Theres no one to come and save me at the bottom of the pit"

_What if I can? ___

__"Sometimes... Everything is a lot, you know. Like, there's a voice in my head thats up to no good, telling me what to do. Taking over my life. 'You can't do this, you can't do that', and it's exhausting a lot of the time. Telling me to do awful shit. And I keep that all to myself. Because no one cares, right?"_ _

__There was a long pause. Clay could barely breathe._ _

__"But-" George continued. "That's okay, I can deal with it most of the time. I just yell about the voice" He laughed at himself. But it wasn't funny. It made him feel sick sometimes._ _

__George cleared his throat. "So, this is what you do" He pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding the fireworks and a small safety match box. With a swift scratch, the match lit up, and George held the bottom of the stick at his fingertips before placing the flame on the firework._ _

__"Remember to do this properly, or your fingers are gone"_ _

__George threw the firework into the air with force, and after a few silent seconds, there was a loud and long explosion in the sky. Clays eyes beamed at the bright light in the sky. George stayed silent this time, but a meaningful smile grew on his face. It was genuine, too. Clay smiled back at him, but all he wanted to do was hug him._ _

__The light slowly fell and disintegrated before it could hit the ground. It was dead silent now. George let out a loud sigh and turned his head to face Clay with a faint smile._ _

__"Today was different, though. I don't know why, but it was better." Of course George knew why._ _

__"It helps to talk about it before you set them off, too" He added, dropping a firework in Clays hand, giving him a smile._ _

__Clay breathed out slowly, pointing his eyes to the sky, watching as small stars slowly started appearing._ _

__"Uh..." He paused. "I think... I think I wanna talk about last night"_ _

__George hadn't really heard the full story, so he was quickly interested. He could tell that Clay was nervous about it. From what George had heard, this wasn't going to be a very nice story._ _

__"My dad was never the accepting type, obviously. I had to listen to him say horrible things about our family and other people, and it wasn't like I could defend anyone, he would lose his fucking mind at me. So i just kept my mouth shut. But, last night, he came home late off his head. Started talking about two boys he saw together on his way home or something. He kept yelling and swearing about it, and that was when I had it. I couldn't listen to him talk bullshit again, I couldn't keep it in anymore. So I yelled at him, and I regretted it so much."_ _

__Clay trailed off for a second, gathering his words together and letting out an anxious sigh._ _

__"Basically I just... Came out to him accidentally. He didn't take it well. At all. He started yelling, throwing shit at me, calling me slurs, telling me that he hated me." Clay choked on his words, now wasn't the time to cry. "And... He told me to leave. And I wasn't going to risk anything. God knows what would have happened if I stayed, nothing good. So I ran."_ _

__Georges were wide and somewhat watery. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Clays own father just abandoning him like that?_ _

__"Clay, oh my god" George gasped, pain in his voice._ _

__"Kinda used to it, normal, you know" Clay breathed._ _

__It wasn't normal. Of course it wasn't normal, it shouldn't be. George wanted to cry. And cry and cry. How could someone do that to their own son? Clay was 18 years old, and that was his normal? He had been treated like this his whole life, he knew nothing else. George wanted to be sick._ _

__"I managed to get to the train station and, obviously, my brain wasn't working properly, I was still crying to comprehend what the fuck had just happened. So I got on the train. And woke up. Then-" Clay turned his head and looked into Georges pained eyes._ _

__"I met you" He smiled. George didn't know whether he should have smiled back or not. How could he smile after what he just heard? Clay noticed the brunettes state, and couldn't look anymore, so he darted his eyes back to the fading sun._ _

__"I'm glad I did" He breathed._ _

__Clay looked down at the firework in his hand, he was ready._ _

__A match burst into flames with a scratch on the side of the small box, and the firework was lit. Clay launched the small object into the air and watched it explode. It didn't scare him this time, he felt almost at peace._ _

__He truly was glad he met George. That boy managed to turn his life around in less than a day, and he couldn't be more thankful._ _

__Clay didn't have to go back home. He felt more at home with George than he ever did anywhere else. George was special. Very special._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY THIS CHAPTER WAS SO DAMN LONG
> 
> uh big stuff in the works! next chapter probably wont be as long, but enjoy this for now  
> also thank you for nearly 1k reads very pog!!  
> have fun gamers xoxo
> 
> co-posted on wattpad


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